With One Question, The Voice Of Hope

For more than five months, Jim O'Hara has whispered or batted his eyelids to communicate with his loved ones.

On Monday, his voice came out.

He wanted to know what day it was.

"The whole family was smiling," said O'Hara's brother-in-law, Mark Porio.

And there was more good news on Monday: The burned Plantation police detective's condition was upgraded from critical to serious.

Eight times in the past 22 weeks, doctors have said O'Hara would die.

O'Hara, 33, has been recovering since July 25. On that day, he was scorched over 77 percent of his body after he and fellow officer Joseph Alu were called to a home on Southwest Sixth Street. A man there was holding hostage two teen-age girls. The man ignited a gasoline canister, killing himself and the girls, and burning the officers.

Since he was hospitalized, O'Hara's condition has peaked and plummeted.

Six weeks ago, doctors at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital told O'Hara's family to prepare for the worst. An infection coursed through his body, threatening his heart, kidneys and lungs. For most of December, he was unconscious.

In the past week, he became more alert, Porio said. O'Hara started asking the nurses to change radio and television stations.

On Saturday, O'Hara was taken off the respirator that had helped him to breathe. And doctors say he is virtually free of infection and is taking a minimal amount of medicine, Porio said.

While the family has relaxed with the good news, Porio said they are still cautious.